


set me free (my honeybee)

by regrettes



Series: emma serenades alyssa in the most awkward ways [1]
Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: Don't @ Me, F/F, This is supposed to be cute, it flips between people's perspectives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-04-24
Packaged: 2020-01-31 08:26:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18587497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/regrettes/pseuds/regrettes
Summary: Alyssa asked Emma to play guitar for her sometime, and in true Emma fashion, she does.





	set me free (my honeybee)

Emma generally wasn’t one for the outdoors, it was always too hot or too cold, too buggy, literally always. So it really baffled Betsy Nolan when her granddaughter took her guitar and a blanket from the couch, and headed out the door to sit on the front lawn. The front lawn connected to the main road, which connected to Wauhob Lake on the other side. It also connected the Nolan safe haven to the rest of the horrendous town of Edgewater. Best used to love the little town she called home, however, after seeing how it treated her granddaughter when she came out, she no longer felt the same. Sure, it was Indiana, but to be outright hostile because someone was different, Betsy just didn’t get it. She wanted Emma happy, and she would support her no matter what.

She saw Emma begin playing her guitar and quietly began opening the windows of the old farmhouse. She wouldn’t want to miss a performance. One of her favorite ways to spend her day was listening to Emma play, always without her knowing however. Emma was too shy to actually play for anyone, not after the assembly her freshman year.

At least, that’s what Betsy thought, not knowing that Emma was playing for someone today. She didn’t see the group of teens wandering around the lake. It was normal for them to do so in the summer months. Amongst the group was Emma’s object of affection, Alyssa Greene. Betsy had been trying to get Emma to talk to Alyssa beyond just saying hi in the halls. Emma was too nervous, despite Betsy’s pep talks. The teen knew that there was a very good chance that Alyssa would end up like everyone else, a bully and homophobe. Although, Betsy couldn’t help but notice how at the PTA meetings that whenever Emma wasn’t admiring Alyssa, the girl couldn’t keep her eyes off her granddaughter.

The older woman just knew something was there, there just had to be

___________________

Emma had somehow heard about the lake day the student council had planned, even though literally no one made an attempt to talk to her at school. And even though she knew she wouldn’t attend, she knew Alyssa would be. Alyssa was on the student council so she was required to be there. They’d started being civil, at least in Emma’s eyes. She might even dare to call them friends in her mind. She loved hearing new things about Alyssa, it was a dangerous game though. She didn’t want to get Alyssa in the same boat as her, nor did she want to start crushing, so they usually only talked in abandoned hallways, always on the lookout for someone who might see them.

The last time they spoke Emma mentioned that she played guitar and Alyssa told her ‘she should play for her sometime.’ In true, awkward, Emma Nolan fashion, she planned to do just that. From a safe distance. With a buffer zone. Emma didn’t think anyone knew that she lived right across the road from the lake, but they’d know after today. If anyone came looking to see who was playing that is. ‘Oh god what if someone sees me’ Emma panicked, hiding her face in her guitar as a car of people drove by. “Come on Emma, you know she’s going to be there. When else are you going to play for her? She can’t just come over,” The blonde scolded herself, picking up her guitar once more. She would never have the courage to invite Alyssa over, nor would her friends or mother allow her anywhere near the Nolan home.

Emma began tentatively plucking the strings, humming along aimlessly as part of an impromptu warm up. She wasn’t sure where she was going with it, or what she was going to play at first. She wasn’t even sure if Alyssa was there yet, she just looked off into the distance where the lake was, and hoped that she was. After a few minutes of aimless playing she caught sight of Alyssa, her bright yellow shirt giving her away just enough for everything to hit Emma like a buss. She hadn’t really thought about just how in too deep she was before. But in that moment, Alyssa Greene held her heart, in a way that a friend shouldn’t. In a way a straight girl shouldn’t. It shouldn’t leave you speechless, no matter how awkward you are. The way Emma melted at the sight of Alyssa Greene was something out of a romantic comedy, or one of her grandma’s romance novels. She was a goner, Alyssa Greene had a power over her that the girl had no idea about.

Not really realizing what came over her, her fingers began strumming a familiar tune, as if she was under some sort of spell. A classic song for Emma, she couldn’t help but let her eyes close as she sang.  
 _You didn’t have to look my way,_  
 _your eyes still haunt me to this day...._  
 _but you did, yes you did.._

Emma let the song fill her and say all the words she was too nervous to say on her own. When she sang, she could truly express how she felt without thinking anyone was judging her.

_You didn’t have to smile at me,_   
_your grin’s the sweetest that I’ve ever seen,_   
_but you did, yes you did_

__________________

Alyssa hated student council events that didn’t take place at the school. They always meant she had to keep up the facade that seemed to be like a permanent in her life. At school, at the PTA meetings, in front of her mother. She felt so fake all the time, but she hoped that with everyone relaxing she could let her guard down just enough to feel normal.

She was doing just that as she set up the snack table when someone started... singing? She looked around to see who was singing, but didn’t see anyone. She listened closer to see where the sound was coming from. She began meandering toward the road, curious as to who it could be.

_You didn’t have to offer your hand,_   
_cause since I’ve kissed it, I am at your command_   
_but you did..._

Alyssa followed the melodic voice, stopping in her tracks by the trees at the edge of the road. She couldn’t believe her eyes, or help the smile that spread across her face. Emma. She didn’t know why the thought of Emma singing gave her butterflies, or made her feel a way that most things in her life didn’t, but she didn’t want to question it.

Alyssa should have known, but she didn’t think Emma would have come to a school sanctioned event. She was never really welcomed by parents or other students. Looking over her shoulder to make sure she wasn’t being followed, Alyssa lingered between the trees by the road listening with a smile on her face. ‘I did tell her to play for me sometime,’ She thought, ‘I just didn’t think she’d do it...’

Without thinking, Alyssa found herself captivated, moving towards Emma with a goofy smile on her face. She stopped just short of the blanket Emma was sat on, words beginning to tumblr out of her mouth, “Emma, oh my god, you’re so talented. I had no idea, I mean I heard you in the assembly freshman year, but it was nothing like... this... you’re just... wow...”

  
_________________

Emma looked up to see Alyssa Greene at the edge of her buffer zone. She panicked, dropping her guitar into her lap and scrambling to move back so she wasn’t in Alyssa’s space. She couldn’t help when she started waving really quickly, ducking her head and muttering out a ‘hello.’ What was Alyssa doing here? She wasn’t supposed to actually come and see her sing. She was supposed to stay with the normal people, like she always did when Emma came around. But as words fell from Alyssa’s lips, she couldn’t help but blush, a smile spreading across her lips. “I take it you liked the song then? It’s one of my favorites,” She fiddled with her guitar pick, eyes meeting Alyssa’s with a little hope in them. She knew that it was just her imagination but Alyssa’s smile had her wanting to yell her feelings from the rooftop.

“Yeah, I definitely liked it. What’s it called?” Her voice was like an angel’s, and it left Emma speechless for a few moments. It wasn’t until Alyssa called her name that she sputtered our her response, “It’s called Honeybee... by a band called Steam Powered GIraffe. It’s a weird name for a band, but it’s a really good song. It’s one of my favorite love songs...”

She didn’t miss when Alyssa raised an eyebrow, “love songs? And who by chance were you singing a love song to? It looks like you’re alone out here. You didn’t even make it to where the rest of us were setting up. I mean, that’s why you’re here, right? For the lake party?” There was a part of Alyssa that hoped Emma would say yes, because she couldn’t really think of another reason that Emma would be sitting on the grass near the lake. And when Emma began stuttering again, Alyssa reached out and set a hand on her shoulder, forgetting that other people were nearby and just shrugged, “Do you want to walk back over with me? I’m sure everyone else would like to know who our Sinatra is.”

Emma began quickly shaking her head, needing words to form, but having Alyssa so close was keeping her from even thinking, let alone speaking. She felt Alyssa’s hand on her shoulder and felt her nerves melt away at the touch. She couldn’t explain it, not understanding what had come over her in that moment. At last she found words, meeting Alyssa’s dark eyes again, “I-I wasn’t coming to the lake party. I live here... with my grandma. A-And I wasn’t really singing to anyone in particular,” liar, “I just really like the song. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but Indiana doesn’t exactly have many gay people, and Edgewater really only has me.”

_______________

 

The sadness in Emma’s voice at her statements was almost tangible. Alyssa didn’t know why she wanted to tell Emma she wasn’t alone, but it felt like something she couldn’t say out loud. She simply sat down on the blanket and smiled at the other girl. “Alright, well, if you weren’t coming to the lake party, would you mind if I sat with you and listened to you for a little longer? They won’t miss me for a bit, probably just think I got called by my mother or something.” Her hand rested between them, brushing Emma’s briefly as she watched the other girl. This was a side of Alyssa she herself hadn’t even experienced. Her hand slipped over Emma’s just for a moment, squeezing the girl’s hand and feeling more at ease than she had in years. Something about Emma just brought her peace, and she couldn’t help but dread separating from the girl.

The reaction she got out of Emma when their hands touched gave her what could only be described as butterflies. The deep red of the girl’s cheeks was something Alyssa wanted to see over and over again, and the shy smile was simply the cherry on top. Emma looked up at her and then to their hands before pulling hers away to grab her guitar. She wanted to know what was going on in the musician’s head, because from the look in Emma’s eyes alone, her head was going a hundred miles a minute. “Emma...” She said softly, wondering if she could peel back at least one layer before she needed to go back to her ‘normal’ life.

_______________

 

Betsy was in her garden, fixing some begonias that had wilted in the heat when she heard another voice join her granddaughter’s. She peeked over her shoulder and smiled, seeing that Emma had indeed had a reason to go outside today. She wasn’t going to embarrass her granddaughter and call her out right now, she’d wait until everyone was inside for the night to do so. Something about how Alyssa Greene relaxed in front of Emma, which was visible even from the flower garden by the porch, made her hold her tongue and just smile at the closeness of the two. She watched the interaction, knowing that Emma was probably freaking out inside, but it didn’t look as bad on the outside. She just looked like any other teen who was talking to their crush. Alyssa was harder to read however, she wasn’t someone Betsy saw a lot of beyond what Mrs. Greene shows of Alyssa. So deciphering her smile and the way she relaxed around Emma was completely out of Betsy Nolan’s league. But something told her that it wasn’t just because Emma wasn’t like everyone else.

As Emma picked up her guitar again, it was like a scene from one of her books, and Betsy just wanted to snap a picture of it and save it forever in their memories. Something told her she’d regret it if she didn’t. She crept back inside, hearing the music start up again and grabbed her old polaroid camera. From the window sill she snapped a quick picture of the pair, the start of what she didn’t know would be a running theme of the pair for years to come. She left the picture on the table by the window and went back to her gardening, enjoying the soft sounds of guitar playing and laughter when Emma accidentally messed up the lyrics. She didn’t know the song Emma was playing, but she knew that she hadn’t heard that laugh in a long time and she wouldn’t change it for anything.


End file.
